Reparations In New York: A Growing Movement Gains Momentum With Help From The BLIS Collective

Could reparations for the descendants of African American slaves soon become a reality in New York City? That is the question on the minds of many as the New York State Community Commission on Reparations Remedies intensifies its efforts to explore what justice and repair could look like for Black New Yorkers.

The commission, which is composed of nine appointed members, will hold a series of business meetings in the coming months to engage directly with state leaders on what reparations should entail. So far, discussions have revolved around restitution going beyond financial compensation to address the lasting psychological and institutional harm caused by slavery and systemic racism. Proposed solutions include direct payments, policy reforms, and long-term investments aimed at uplifting and empowering Black New Yorkers for generations to come.

A public hearing scheduled for July 31 at Brooklyn’s Public Library would have allowed community members to speak about their own personal history and family lineage, detailing how they may have been directly harmed by the injustices spawned by slavery, but the meeting was unfortunately cancelled due to severe rain. Writer and researcher Trevor Smith was set to testify. 

BLIS Collective co-founder, Trevor Smith, wants to see reparations become a reality in New York.

Although not officially part of the commission, Smith has been working closely with committee members through his work with the BLIS Collective, short for Black Liberation and Indigenous Sovereignty. Founded in 2022 by Smith and his close friend from grad school, Savannah Romero—who is a member of the Eastern Shoshone Nation—BLIS serves as a powerful hub for solidarity and action, fostering radical collaboration and narrative alignment among Black, Indigenous, and other transformative social movements committed to repair, decolonization, and cultural transformation. 

The collective is one of over 100 organizations partnered with the grassroots coalition, New Yorkers for Reparations. Smith also contributed to the survey development team behind the 2024 Reparations Poll conducted by New Yorkers for Reparations and Liberation Ventures, another coalition fighting for the cause.

During an interview with NewsOne before Thursday’s hearing, Smith said he and his team were working hard to “ensure that when the recommendations come out of the New York State Commission, [they] turn into law.”

He continued, “Reparations [for] us—it’s really an opportunity to redress the legacy of slavery, or the legacy of Jim Crow, the legacy of racial discrimination, which has touched so many facets of our society and our economy. I think so often folks focus on the financial compensation aspect, which is an important aspect of reparations, but it is not the only aspect. I totally see a world where Black New Yorkers, who are the descendants of enslaved people here, get financial compensation, [but] we also pass a number of other policies that would disproportionately impact and support Black Americans while also helping other New Yorkers.”

Public support for reparations in the Big Apple is strong. 

Notably, the 2024 Reparations Poll found that a majority of residents support meaningful action. More than half of those surveyed said they favor investments in education, healthcare, land restitution, and economic development specifically for Black communities.

Yet, despite this growing support, a significant gap remains between hope and belief. While 48% of respondents expressed some support for reparations, only 21% believe that reparations will ever be implemented in New York. Among Black New Yorkers, the disparity is even more striking: 77% expressed support, but just 24% believe action will actually be taken.

Despite some pessimism, New Yorkers aren’t staying silent; they’re willing to take action. Sixty-one percent said they would engage in at least one form of advocacy, such as voting for a pro-reparations candidate, discussing the issue with friends or family, or sharing information on social media.

Although Trevor Smith now calls New York’s Lower East Side home and earned his graduate degree from NYU, his roots trace back to Maryland, and even further, to Freetown, Sierra Leone. Freetown, founded by formerly enslaved people from the U.S., Caribbean, and the U.K., represents a deep historical connection to the transatlantic slave trade. Smith’s own last name, inherited through this legacy, reflects a lineage shaped by displacement and survival, even as the exact origin of his ancestors’ enslavement remains unknown.

This complex identity shapes Smith’s perspective on reparations and pours back into his work with the BLIS Collective, exploring the shared histories and common goals of these parallel struggles for justice, sovereignty, and repair. Alongside their polling efforts, Smith and Romero have conducted extensive research through the BLIS Collective, exploring the connections between reparations and the Indigenous led Land Back movement focused on reclaiming sovereignty over ancestral lands and restoring Indigenous stewardship over stolen territories.

Their work centers on building and supporting coalitions, campaigns, and shared spaces that promote economic policies grounded in repair, redistribution, and collective well-being. Through consultancy work, the duo collaborates with organizations like the ACLU of New York and the Health Equity Narrative Lab to strengthen narrative and cultural strategies in pursuit of systemic change.

“We’re really exploring why isn’t the Black led movement for reparations and the indigenous led movement more closely connected. And what, if anything, could we do to address it?” Smith added.

Notably, the BLIS Collective will be sponsoring local Washington, D.C., soccer team D.C. Cheddar for the 2025–2026 season. The team will feature the BLIS logo on the field and collaborate with local movement groups to advance liberation for oppressed communities on and off the field.

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